New Poll Shows American's Stress Levels Rising

PRNewswire/ -- Americans are feeling more stress today than they did six months ago, according to a new national stress study. The survey of 1,000 men and women, ages 18 and older, revealed that 47 percent of respondents currently feel more stress than they did six months ago. And no surprise, the #1 source of stress reported is personal finance concerns, the top response for almost half (49%) of those surveyed. Surprisingly, international unrest, the war and the presidential election were reported significantly lower as primary causes of stress, registering only 2 percent each.

The stress survey, conducted by Booth Research and sponsored by The Ester-C Company, focused primarily on American's self-reported sources of stress and methods for coping with stress. Additionally, the study sheds light on the effects of stress, and the correlation between stress and physical health. 85 percent of respondents reported that they believe stress weakens their body's immune system. According to the survey, females are more likely than men to be aware of the connection that stress can have on immune health.

"Recognition of where stress originates and how it manifests, with regard to health, is an important first step that individuals can take to develop strategies for coping," says noted immune health expert Mark Moyad, M.D., University of Michigan. "Stress can take a serious toll on the human body if unmanaged, and is a contributing factor to the cold and flu season, which takes place in the United States during the months where extreme weather conditions provide an additional layer of stress to manage."

Young and Stressed, Older and Mellower

Young people report higher levels of stress than their older counterparts. Nearly six in ten respondents, in the 35-44 years of age category, reported high or very high levels of stress (58%), while less than one quarter (23%) of respondents in the 55 plus age group reported experiencing the same upper levels of stress. The youngest age group surveyed, those 18-24 years of age, registered the highest response (64%) indicating they are more stressed now than 6 months ago.

Stress Leads to Lack of Z-Z-Z-Z's

The majority (55%) of survey respondents asked about stress effects cited "ability to get a good night's sleep" as the top response. Another one-third reported that stress is impacting their physical health, and nearly as many reported that stress affects their personal relationships (32%).

Americans Adapt New Age Approaches for Handling Stress

When asked about stress coping strategies, more respondents cited "meditation and breathing techniques" (28%) than the more traditional approach of "taking a vacation" (25%), which may also point to economic factors -- that can turn vacationing into as much a source of stress as a stress reliever. On a healthy note, "exercise" tops the list of reported methods for tackling stress.

Survey Background

Booth Research conducted the online survey among 1,000 adults (ages 18 and older) in the continental United States. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions, and Booth Research obtained a nationally representative sample of online panel respondents to complete this study.

The overall sample of 1,000 consumers yields a sample reliability of plus or minus 3.1%, which is the maximum difference explainable through random chance in 95% of all samples of this size.

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Living in Georgia Less Stressful According to New Survey

PRNewswire/ -- While 93 percent of Americans report attempting to make everyday choices to be healthy and live well, more than half (55 percent) of Georgia residents say they struggle to do so, according to the Amway Global Wellness Index, a recent national survey of more than 15,000 Americans regarding their health and wellness. Georgia residents report that the two main barriers preventing them from living a healthier lifestyle include lack of time (36 percent) and the costs associated with eating a balanced diet (24 percent).

Free YMCA Wellness Events

In support of individuals and families struggling to make healthier choices, Amway Global and the YMCA are hosting free wellness events open to the public at select YMCAs on Sept. 20, 2008, as part of America On the Move Week. As a first step, health seekers can go to http://www.inspirewellness.com/ and take the Stanford Health and Lifestyle Assessment. Then, they can bring their summary reports to a local YMCA to talk with a health and wellness staff member about steps they can take toward a healthier life. Go to http://www.inspirewellness.com/ for a list of participating YMCAs in Georgia.

Georgia Wellness Challenges:

Exercise

The survey shows that one-quarter (25 percent) of Georgia residents, versus 23 percent of Americans, are not exercising for at least 30 minutes or more at a time on a regular basis. That's well under the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendation of a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day or a minimum of 20 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity three days a week. When it comes to the work commute, 91 percent of Georgia residents drive or use public transportation. However, when they do exercise, the focus is on general wellness (33 percent), cardiovascular endurance (25 percent) and increasing muscle tone (17 percent).

Stress

Thirty-five percent of Georgians report having a "very" or "somewhat" high stress level, according to the Amway Global Wellness Index. Forty-four percent of Georgia residents find that talking to family and friends is a highly effective way of coping with their stress. Increasing physical activity (33 percent) and sleep (26 percent) also top the list, while 16 percent turn to food for comfort and 16 percent practice yoga. Only 7 percent of residents decrease the time they spend using technology gadgets to reduce stress.

Sleep

While 37 percent of Georgia residents report that not getting enough exercise is one of the biggest wellness challenges, 34 percent also report getting enough sleep as a major challenge. Only 10 percent of Georgians judge their current state of wellness by the amount of sleep they get.

Weight

Nearly half (48 percent) of Georgia residents consider themselves obese or overweight, yet only one-quarter (25 percent) of Georgia respondents gauge their state of wellness by their current weight.

The Election, Economy and Wellness

Thirty-seven percent of Georgians and 33 percent of Americans claim that the candidates' positions on personal wellness will influence how they vote this election. Additionally, 42 percent of Americans, versus 41 percent of Georgians, report that the economy is having a negative impact on their wellness choices. For the nation, current economic conditions also are negatively affecting the wellness of 51 percent of non-working parents, versus 43 percent of working parents. And, when it comes to the battle of the sexes, the health of women is affected more by the economy (44 percent) than men (40 percent).

About the Amway Global Wellness Index

The Amway Global Wellness Index is a national survey of 15,035 American adults ages 18 and older to uncover American views toward the concept of wellness and individual, family and community wellness. Commissioned by Amway Global, the study has an estimated margin of error of +/-0.8 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. For more information and state-specific statistics, go to http://www.inspirewellness.com/.

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